On being picky and learning to eat globally: Clifford A. Wright

Right out of college I bought a cookbook with a really, really long name. Today the spine is cracked from years of use and comfy-chair reading. I don’t know about you, but one of my favorite things to do is “read” cookbooks – especially ones filled with good stories.

This man is talented – and I would love for all of you to get to know his work. So. I interviewed him. Hurrah!

Hello, Clifford.. thanks for joining us!

1. What advice to you have for someone just learning to cook “foreign” food?

Short of traveling to the country itself, the best way to learn how to cook from a foreign cuisine is to begin to understand the culinary culture of that country. That might mean going to a restaurant, although the novice will have no idea if they’re getting the real thing or some watered-down Americanization. That leaves cookbooks. There’s no better way to learn to cook from another culture than through repetition of trial and error using a good cookbook. Cookbooks written by a native tend to be good, but also look for an author who doesn’t merely give you a collection of recipes but who tells you the story behind the recipes.

2. What’s the most memorable food experience you’ve had in your travels?

They tend to be the simple and surprising ones that you have on the street or in people’s homes. Rarely will a restaurant provide that experience, although they can because of their locale or the uniqueness of their food. There are too many food stories to relate, which one do you choose; the shawarma at the truckstop in Homs (western Syria), the bouillabaisse in Golfe-Juan (French Riveria), the tam’iyya from the vendor in Marsa Matruh (Egypt), the pizza at Da Michele in Naples (Italy)?

3. Were you ever picky? If yes, what foods did/do you avoid? Why? Has anything helped you overcome this?

I was never picky; I eat everything, and I don’t hang out with people who are picky…they annoy me and are depressing.

4. What did you eat as a child and how did it influence your career path?

Although my mother wasn’t a great cook, because of her Italian background she did cook some pretty good Italian food. My father was also stationed in France with the USAF, so I experienced French food very early on, not to mention other European cuisines because of our travels.

5. Any upcoming projects?

I have two books coming out to be published by Wiley in 2012 and 2013. The first is all about cooking with cheese with the working title “Hot & Cheesy.” The second, One-Pot Meals, is just that, dinners you cook in one cooking vessel only, whether that vessel be a stew pot, a wok, a skillet, a casserole, and so forth.

If you’d like to learn more about Clifford, please visit his web site.. it is full of recipes, videos, a great blog, and more.

THE GIVEAWAY:

UPDATE: We have a winner – congratulations Elaine! Email me (sasha at GlobalTableAdventure dot com) to claim your prize, “The Best Soups in the World.” I hope it helps you eat your way around the world! Here’s her winning comment. selected at random:

The best soup in the world is the cheese soup with vegetables that my Mom used to make. It was warm, not over-cheesy, and full of broccoli. Of course, like any soup that Moms make, it can never be duplicated…as hard as I try!

I appreciate Rike’s response, but it seems I might think the NEXT soup I eat will be the best in the world. As I savor a dish, I’m always thinking of ways to modify, improve, or just experiment with the flavors, texture, aromas, etc. of whatever I am eating. Always new horizons to explore.

My personal favorite soup in the world is Split Pea made by my mom. It reminds me of Christmas and home and deliciousness. Every year she would use the leftovers from the Christmas ham to make split pea soup…..yummm

The best soup in the world is the cheese soup with vegetables that my Mom used to make. It was warm, not over-cheesy, and full of broccoli. Of course, like any soup that Moms make, it can never be duplicated…as hard as I try!

My favorite soup of all time is a recipie I got off the Pioneer Woman’s Tasty Kitchen area. It is portabello mushroom soup with cream base. It has Chablis in it and is simply divine! Especially with a good crusty piece of homemade bread! Even my mom liked it and she doesn’t normally eat anythign with spirits in it!

My favorite soup of all time is this concoction that my best childhood friend’s mother used to make. It was a standard vegetable soup (with the potatoes cut into the most amazingly uniform squares I’ve ever seen), some mini pasta shells, and ground beef. It tasted like home in a bowl, and I still to this day cannot replicate it no matter how hard I try.

A close second, though, is my grandpa’s potato and onion soup. It’s just the perfect thing to eat in the winter.

The best soup in the world has to be made with quality ingredients and lots of love. The very best soup is one that feeds your soul and warms you from the inside out. Nothing the standard Chicken can’t handle. It has medicinal qualities. It’s comforting and it’s universal, most countries have their own version.

My favourite soup is made with lamb shanks, split peas and lots of onion and garlic 🙂 It doesn’t have a name because it’s an ever evolving recipe that came from my partner’s family. It’s so great in Winter ^_^